The pastor must faithfully convey the message whether the congregation listens or not.

The pastor must faithfully convey the message

whether the congregation listens or not.

 

 

King Zedekiah summoned the prophet Jeremiah and said to him,

"I have something to ask you.  Do not hide anything from me."

At that time, the prophet Jeremiah responded to King Zedekiah,

"If I tell you the truth, won't you surely kill me?

Even if I give you advice, you won't listen to me."

Then King Zedekiah secretly promised Jeremiah, saying,

"As surely as the Lord who gives us life lives,

I will not kill you or hand you over to those who seek your life."

Only then did the prophet Jeremiah relay to King Zedekiah

the words of the Almighty God of Israel.

“If you surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon,

you will not die, and this city will not be burned;

you and your family will live.

But if you do not surrender to them,

this city will be handed over to the Babylonians.

They will burn it down, and you will not escape from their hands”

(Jeremiah 38:14-18).

As I reflect on this passage, I receive a few lessons:

(1) The servant of the Lord must not hide anything when proclaiming God's word

but should deliver the message exactly as received to the congregation.
(2) The servant of the Lord must faithfully convey the message

whether the congregation listens or not (cf. Ezekiel 2:5, 7; 3:11).
(3) The servant of the Lord should trust God's promises over the promises of people

and deliver even the messages that are difficult for the congregation to hear,

as long as they are God's words.